F

Common bike measurement, traditionally taken from the middle of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube. It’s vital your bike is the right fit as your seating position will affect efficiency, comfort and drag

I

Brand name of global series of triathlon events comprising a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile cycle, and 26.2-mile run (marathon).

K

Kick board

A float you grip with your hands in the pool, while your legs do all the work

L

Lactate Threshold

The highest level at which your muscles can still convert glycogen to glucose aerobically (i.e. using oxygen). Exercising above this level will soon lead to discomfort as lactic acid (a by-product of the anaerobic process) accumulates in the bloodstream. Training at, or slightly above, this threshold will gradually push it upwards, allowing you to race faster. Also known as Anaerobic Threshold (AT) .

Long, slow distance training (LSD)

Exactly what the name implies – essential cardiovascular training foundation for endurance events

M

A 26.2-mile running race, which constitutes the third part of an Ironman.

Mashing

A cycling term indicating pedalling a big gear (53 x 13 or 14) with a slower cadence instead of spinning a smaller gear.

Maximum heart rate (MHR)

The maximum rate that your heart can achieve. A rough rule of thumb is 220 minus your age, but a more accurate reading can be gauged in these practical tests.

MTB

Mountain Bike.

O

Olympic Distance Triathlon

1.5K swim; 40K cycle; 10K run.

OWS

Open Water Swim, for example in the sea or a lake as opposed to in a pool.

P

Paddles

Worn on the hands during swim training, they increase your workload meaning you train harder.

Periodisation

Carefully planned training schedule, focusing on different training elements in turn and culminating with a specific competitive goal.

Pull

Swimming exercise using a float between your feet/legs, leaving only your arms free to pull you through the water.

Pull - Take a pulll

Taking a turn to lead, allowing those behind to draft you and follow your pace.

Q

QR

Quick release lever that allows bike wheels to be easily removed and replaced for travel.

R

Rider position

Wind resistance makes a big difference in the bike leg (see drafting) so make sure you are leaning forward and slicing through the air rather than sitting up like a giant sail.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)

Means of evaluating how hard you are working, using either a scale of 1-11 or 1-21. The higher the number, the harder you are working. Considered by some to be more useful than measuring heart rate alone.

RPM

Revolutions per Minute.

Run or ride belt

Waist-mounted belt for carrying snack bars/gels/drinks.

S

Slick tyres

Thinner and faster road tyres, favoured by those looking for quicker times.

T

First transition, where a competitor switches from the swimming stage to the cycling stage

T2

Second transition, where a competitor switches from the cycling stage to the running stage

Tempo training

Working just below your lactate threshold for an extended period (rather than a short interval). This will raise the threshold, raising the speed at which you can run for long periods

Time-trial bike

A serious (and often expensive) racing bike for competitive triathletes.

Toe-clips

A clip on a bike pedal that ensures the foot doesn’t sit too far forward. See also, Clip-in pedals.

Transition area

The area where the change is made from one sport to the next. It’s important to be able to quickly and efficiently locate your own equipment, and the process of switching sports should be practised to avoid losing hard-earned time.

Tri bike

Bike specifically designed to be ridden in an aerodynamic crouched position, with a high saddle and low crossbar.

TT (Time Trial)

Usually used in reference to a cycling event.

Turbo (static) trainer

A device that holds a bicycle in place, applying resistance to the rear wheel. Used for indoor training.

W

Wall, the

The sudden feeling of physical and/or mental fatigue as the body runs out of glycogen and switches to burning fat stores for energy instead

Waves

When a race starts in staggered groups (waves) usually separated by gender and age groups.

Discuss this article

We've put together this beginner's tri glossary to help you out if you're dabbling your toe in triathlon, but would love you to get involved in helping us expand the list.

Maybe there are still terms you want explained, or maybe you're able to help us out with adding definitions of your own - either way please pop your thoughts on this thread and we'll get updating the list in due course.

Cassette: the multiple sprockets of different sizes attached to your back wheel. the smallest one makes you go fastest for a given cadence, the largest one makes you slowest for a given cadence. The idea is to maintain a constant cadence over different terrain, changing up and down the cassetee as required.

Chainrings: the two or three large sprockets attached to your cranks. The bigger/est one makes you faster/est for a given cadence. The idea is to maintain constant cadence over different terrain, changing up and down the chainrings as required

Front derailleur: a device for moving the chain between chainrings

Rear derailleur: a device for moving the chain between the sprockets of your cassette.

Cadence: the number of revolutions per minute that the pedals/cranks/chainrings make. Apparently somewhere between 80 and 100 revs a minute is about right. Everyone has a 'natural' cadence, though this can be improved (generally increased) with training. It's all about efficiency. Ripping your guts out grinding hard at a cadence of 50, or twiddling merrily at a cadence of 120, wastes energy that could be giving you more forward momentum if you were pedalling at a cadence of 90.

If your cadence drops eg going up a hill, change to an easier gear (larger back or smaller front ring) to boost your revs a minute (and conserve valuable energy!)

Some bike computers have an extra sensor that measures your cadence; you can count the number of times each minute that one of your feet reaches the 12 o'clock position (or every 15 seconds then multiply the answer by 4) but it becomes a fairly complex task if you're having to concentrate on the road at the same time.